How a woman moves on the dance floor could be an indication of how likely she is to get pregnant (Photo: Creative Commons)

How a woman moves on the dance floor could be an indication of how likely she is to get pregnant, according to a recent study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. Researchers found that women who are ovulating are perceived as more attractive dancers by men than women who are not ovulating.

The findings suggest that ovulation may not be a hidden secret, researchers said.

"These changes are subtle, and women may not always be consciously aware of them. However, men seem to derive information on women's fertility status from these cues," Bernhard Fink, study author and researcher from the University of Göttingen in Germany, told LiveScience.

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Researchers asked 48 women between the ages of 19 and 33 to dance to an identical drumbeat during their fertile phase and again during their non-fertile phase. Two hundred men were then shown silhouettes of the women, who had their hair pulled back and wore identical form-fitting outfits, to rate how attractive each woman was.

They found that even though the participants didn't know fertility was being studied, the men judged women who were fertile as more attractive than those who were not. In addition, when shown silhouettes of women walking, the men again rated fertile women as more attractive.

Fluctuations in a woman's estrogen levels during ovulation can affect their muscle, tendon and ligament strength, which could give men a clue as to who is fertile.

The researchers said the study shows that the concept of a hidden ovulation may not be the case.

"The study shows - once again - that the common assertion of a 'concealed ovulation' in human females needs to be reconsidered," Fink said.